The Sixers lost Sunday afternoon’s scrimmage to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but there reactions from this game are mostly positive.
This is the rare instance where you can react positively to a loss. This was an overwhelmingly encouraging performance from the Sixers, who dominated the opposing starters for the second scrimmage in a row. OKC won 102-97, but only after a garbage time run led by Mike Muscala and Andre Roberson. The starters were long gone by then.
In the absence of Joel Embiid, the Sixers got strong performances across the board. Ben Simmons was on the verge of a triple-double, Josh Richardson turned in an elite defensive performance, and Shake Milton asserted his worth at the point guard spot.
The Sixers led by as many as 21 points in the third quarter, and at no point did OKC’s starters pose a serious challenge to Philadelphia’s — especially once Simmons was locked in. The Sixers should go back to their hotel rooms draped in smiles. This was a performance worthy of optimism.
It’s still too early to definitive declarations, but this two scrimmages and two blowouts for Philadelphia when you look at the minutes that truly matter. The Sixers have controlled both ends of the floor so far in Orlando, overpowering two playoff teams from the West.
Here’s what we learned from today’s (pretty much a victory) loss.
3. Al Horford, still not great
On the surface, this game was a big improvement for Al Horford, who looked out of sorts in Friday’s win over Memphis. When you scratch beneath the surface, however, the rotten stench of old age and poor fit begins to permeate the room.
Horford poured in 13 points on 4-for-6 shooting from deep, including a stretch in which he hit three consecutive triples during the first quarter. That helped him save face, but beyond the shooting, one could argue Horford’s performance was largely on par with the Memphis game.
Getting the starting nod in place of Embiid, Horford struggled to adequately defend the rim. Once hailed as one of basketball’s most dynamic frontcourt defenders, Horford has seen his defense wither away in 2019-20. This game was no different. Even as he showcases improved mobility up and down the floor, Horford continues to struggle when asked to defend the rim. OKC waltzed down the lane for several easy looks.
It wasn’t all terrible — there’s something to be said for 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and a couple steals — but Horford’s defense, and overall fit on offense, is still a major concern, especially if (when) he’s asked to share the floor with Embiid in more important games.
Simply put, he’s not exactly threatening Milton for his starting job.
2. The seamless fit of Shake Milton
Moving away from Horford, fans should be elated by the early results from Starter Shake. Milton has quickly found his footing in the starting five, comfortably running pick-and-rolls, working two-man actions on the perimeter, and swinging the ball to open teammates off dribble penetration.
After a mostly quiet first scrimmage, Milton had some impressive moments in this one. He shot 3-for-6 from deep, he had a couple strong takes to the rim, and he once again held up on defense. Milton was given free reign as the top option in a couple bench lineups — lineups that didn’t fair too well — but as far as his fit next to other starters, there’s no need to nitpick.
The mere presence of a capable ball-handler who can initiate sets and pass on the move has loosened up the halfcourt offense considerably. The ball movement was even more pronounced in this game with Embiid on the bench. Milton, along with Josh Richardson and Alec Burks, should continue to receive a steady dosage of playmaking opportunities when things slow down.
And, on a slight aside, Burks should continue to get longer looks at the rotation. Brown has been hesitant to use him over the likes of Matisse Thybulle and Furkan Korkmaz in these scrimmages, but Burks provides a lot of potential value as a pull-up shooter and secondary ball-handler. Get him more looks in the third scrimmage, especially if Glenn Robinson III is out.
1. Josh Richardson looks like his old self
Among the many Sixers who fell victim to the wonkiness of this season, Josh Richardson struggled to establish a consistent presence before the hiatus. He was oft-injured, sometimes inefficient, and not always a regular impact player. He’s looking much more like this normal self in Orlando.
Richardson stood out in this game, dropping in 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting and nabbing four steals. As the Sixers’ primary answer to opposing point guards, Richardson has thrived on defense through two scrimmages. He has always been good about using his length at the point of attack, and Chris Paul can surely attest to Richardson’s two-way presence in this game.
On the other end, Richardson showcased some nice chemistry as a ball-handler next to Ben Simmons. We should expect Richardson and Simmons to share the court quite a bit once the season kicks into gear, as Brett Brown appears set on tethering Milton to Embiid in his substation pattern.
Richardson also showed a quick trigger from deep in this one. The Sixers need quick decisions in the halfcourt, and Richardson catching and firing without hesitation is always a good sign. As the ball movement improves and Simmons does more work from the elbow, the volume of clean looks should only increase.
And, as another brief aside, Simmons was once again the best player on the floor. He didn’t attempt a 3-pointer, much to the chagrin of some fans, but he used his physicality to dominate smaller OKC guards inside and worked his magic in transition, to the tune of nine assists. The Sixers should be very pleased with Simmons’ performance so far in Orlando.